This book has influenced my thinking a lot. The future is exciting and coming at us fast! I've written a series of blog posts with more detail which cThis book has influenced my thinking a lot. The future is exciting and coming at us fast! I've written a series of blog posts with more detail which can be found at http://www.theequitykicker.com/?cat=93, but in a nutshell Kurzweil argues that computer intelligence will match and surpass human intelligence in the 2020s and that nanotechnology will be used to augment human bodies and intelligence to the point where there is no distinction in the 2040s - this is the Singularity...more

This book has really helped me re-organise my personal workflow to good effect. I had literally given up on email before, now I reliably see everythinThis book has really helped me re-organise my personal workflow to good effect. I had literally given up on email before, now I reliably see everything again....more

"Good book this. A stark reminder of the power of our involuntary responses when it comes to being persuaded by people, and how we can use them to our"Good book this. A stark reminder of the power of our involuntary responses when it comes to being persuaded by people, and how we can use them to our advantage. Cialdini lists the 'weapons of influence' as:- reciprocation, give a little early and reap dividends later- commitment and consistency, securing a small commitment to a cause paves the way for a bigger one later- social proof, we are very influenced by what others do (particularly our peers)- liking, people are more easily by people they like, and liking is driven by personality AND good looks, good presentation, good clothes, height etc- authority, endorsement from authority figures is powerful- scarcity, time limited or short runs are powerful "...more

"The first reason I like this book is Rogerâs solution driven approach to negotiations. Most deals are complicated and there are many elements that ca"The first reason I like this book is Rogerâ€™s solution driven approach to negotiations. Most deals are complicated and there are many elements that can be traded off against each other if the negotiators are skilled enough to listen and find out what is important to the other side. As Roger notes repeatedly throughout the book there may be concessions you can make which cost you little or nothing but are meaningful for the other side. In-experienced negotiators, however, are more prone to getting focused on a single issue (often price) which leads to conflict and occasionally deadlock and lost deals.

In the context of venture capital deals the valuation of the company is always important, but there are a number of other elements which are material and where there is often more room for each side to make easy concessions. The most common of these are liquidation preference, anti-dilution rights, size of the option pool, good leaver/bad leaver, and provisions determining the balance of control between investor and the company post transaction.

When a VC invests in a company/entrepreneur it is often likened to a marriage and it is very important that the relationship doesnâ€™t get off to a bad start with acrimonious negotiations over deal terms. It is thus more important than in most negotiations that both sides work hard to find the white spaces that form the basis of a happy agreement rather than approach discussions as a zero sum game.

As an aside, one of the small things that Roger advocates is always leaving the other side happy, and he offers a number of tips for doing so.

The second reason I like Rogerâ€™s book is that it is full of actionable recommendations for getting the best deal available whilst maximising the chances of the negotiations reaching a harmonious conclusion. They are too numerous to list here in full but in they group into:

Ways to maintain flexibility in your position and avoid deadlock â€“ e.g. NEVER go too quickly to your best offer as problems will follow if the other side then tries to negotiate you down further. A common mistake is to take the approach of cutting straight to a â€˜fairâ€™ position which leaves little room for manoeuvre if the other side has a different idea of what â€˜fairâ€™ is. Better to start with a more extreme position and then get to know how your opposite number thinks. Tools to help you better understand the other side (and yourself) â€“ these range from questions to ask (e.g. always ask for more), to descriptions of different national negotiating styles and analysis of the different types of power negotiators can hold (e.g. power to reward).Finally, the book is extremely well written. It is an easy read, key concepts are referred back to multiple times as the book progresses, making them easy to remember, and it is often humorous."...more

This is a very interesting read, even if I don't agree fully with Gray's opinions. His idea that our faith in (technological) progress is a secular reThis is a very interesting read, even if I don't agree fully with Gray's opinions. His idea that our faith in (technological) progress is a secular reshaping of christian ideas is instructive, and his later essays on UK government have left me thinking Blair achieved less than I had previously thought....more

This book combines solid practical advice about exercise, diet and emotional health with just about enough biology to be convincing that the theoreticThis book combines solid practical advice about exercise, diet and emotional health with just about enough biology to be convincing that the theoretical foundations are solid.

The key take-aways - (once fit) we should exercise anaerobically four days per week, strength exercises two days per week, eat sensibly (low GI diet) and 'connect, care, and commit' to a) make ourselves happy, and b) unlock the physical benefits that go with emotional well being. Do this and there are amazing benefits to be had - so much of getting old is down to decay of the body and mind that is preventable, true inevitable ageing (going grey etc. is very slow and quite limited).

This advice is consistent with what I've read from Kurzweil and elsewhere, but a good deal more accessible.

Four stars rather than five because parts of the book come across as too smug and sanctimonious, and the science could be a little better....more

Very enjoyable book this. We get a tour thorough Swami Rama's life, meeting the sages that taught him, hearing about the experiences that shaped him,Very enjoyable book this. We get a tour thorough Swami Rama's life, meeting the sages that taught him, hearing about the experiences that shaped him, and learning his philosophy of life.

The stories are literally fantastic at many times and difficult for me to take at face value, yet they are told with sincerity. They are also told with humor and love.

Finally, we get a bit of Indian history and philosophy. Swami Rama was a great modern sage, dying in 1996. He knew Gandhi and many other modern icons....more